Glad they found out it can happen now vs. after it was in a car. Fumes from extreme charge / discharge rates / cycles can be a problem. When we built the EVs in college, the battery boxes had exhaust fans that ditched the gas fairly quickly just to prevent such a build up.

This was actually at the GM Tech Center. This is where they do most of the engineering on GM vehicles. If I remember correctly, the only GM plant in Warren is a transmission plant next door to the Dodge Ram assembly plant.

Pacerace Wrote:-------------------------------------------------------> So this is the second explosion from a GM battery> so far? First the Volt that spontaneously> combusted after a crash test, and now this. Hmm..

The Volt fire was due to the Feds who didn't pull the batteries as they were instructed after doing crash testing. It didn't spontaneously combust. In fact, the Feds already said there is no problem with the batteries.

This is no different than testing engines and having the engine grenade. This is all part of the engineering and testing process. If the engineer hadn't been hurt, you never would have heard about this. These batteries are all experimental.

Swifster Wrote:-------------------------------------------------------> The Volt fire was due to the Feds who didn't pull> the batteries as they were instructed after doing> crash testing. It didn't spontaneously combust. In> fact, the Feds already said there is no problem> with the batteries.

I did not know this, so it's good to know.

> This is no different than testing engines and> having the engine grenade. This is all part of the> engineering and testing process. If the engineer> hadn't been hurt, you never would have heard about> this. These batteries are all experimental.

Swifster Wrote:-------------------------------------------------------> I like the theory of battery operated cars, but on> some days I'm doing 400 miles for work. Until they> can get battery power to that kind of range, to me> it's unusable.

This is why I don't like them. Only the Tesla's that I know of have a decent range of almost what a gas car will do, but for the sedan you have to pay for the high end model, ad the roadster is expensive as well. I don't like the Volt due to the limited range on electricity, the overpriced pricetag, and its just Fugly .

I personally believe hydrogen fuel cell cars are a good theory, if they can be practically implemented. Anyone have any idea how the Honda FCX Clarity is doing? I haven't actually researched them recently.

Pacerace Wrote:-------------------------------------------------------> Swifster Wrote:> --------------------------------------------------> -----> > I like the theory of battery operated cars, but> on> > some days I'm doing 400 miles for work. Until> they> > can get battery power to that kind of range, to> me> > it's unusable.>>> This is why I don't like them. Only the Tesla's> that I know of have a decent range of almost what> a gas car will do, but for the sedan you have to> pay for the high end model, ad the roadster is> expensive as well. I don't like the Volt due to> the limited range on electricity, the overpriced> pricetag, and its just Fugly .>> I personally believe hydrogen fuel cell cars are a> good theory, if they can be practically> implemented. Anyone have any idea how the Honda> FCX Clarity is doing? I haven't actually> researched them recently.

GM was heavy into fuel cells when Toyota brought out the Prius. GM had hybrids going back to the 1960's and didn't feel they were really an answer. They took a beating by the Greenies wanting to know why GM didn't think of it (they did). The big problem with all of these technologies is infrastructure. There has been a gas pump on every corner since 1910. So do you put out hydrogen pumps, electric plugs, propane pumps, etc.?

Our problem know is artificially inflated gasoline. With the current emissions packages, cars are not the big problem. It's coal plants, factories, China and India. It really doesn't make what we do if China and India refuse to comply with emissions issues. Gas and diesel is just fine with me.

Swifster Wrote:-------------------------------------------------------> I like the theory of battery operated cars, but on> some days I'm doing 400 miles for work. Until they> can get battery power to that kind of range, to me> it's unusable.

I know of one battery operated car that will let you drive those 400 mile days without meeting a beat. Ok, you might have to stop and fill the tank. But sounds like a Volt is what you need.

>> I know of one battery operated car that will let> you drive those 400 mile days without meeting a> beat. Ok, you might have to stop and fill the> tank. But sounds like a Volt is what you need.

I'm married into the Chrysler Corporation... I have a 2010 Dodge Caliber. I bought the car directly from Chrysler as a corporate lease turn-in. It didn't cost me $42K. It didn't cost me $35K. It didn't cost me $20K. It didn't cost me $15K. And it didn't cost me $12K. It runs like a top, it came with an extended warranty and a year's worth of Surius-XM radio... I'm good.

As for the test lab / engine comparison, when an engine grenades, does it blow an 8 inch thick door, too?

I'm all for electric cars, and I'm happy they found out under a stress test, that much combustible hydrogen can be manufactured; now they'll have to do better a trapping it; perhaps in a hydride flake box?